Oklahoma investigators announce first documented patient-to-patient hepatitis C transmission in a dental office On September 18, Oklahoma public health investigators released a status update confirming the first known patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis C. The transmission occurred in an Oklahoma dental…
Employees with potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens (BBP) must receive BBP training initially upon employment and annually thereafter. Cal/OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Standard – Title 8 California Code of Regulations Section 5193 (8 CCR 5193) requires annual training for all…
As part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), on October 1, 2013, employers covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) must provide a notice of coverage options to each employee, regardless of plan enrollment status (if applicable) or of…
In early 2013, the federal HIPAA Omnibus Rule went info effect, with a compliance date of September 23, 2013. The Rule brings together the requirements of HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009) and HIPAA…
Both the Dental Board of California (DBC) and the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) are alerting licensees with renewal dates in September or October to complete their renewals by September 15th, 2013. The DCA is expected to transition to…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends, and most states require, dental offices to monitor their sterilizers weekly using a spore test. Regular sterilizer monitoring using biologic indicators, i.e. spore tests, is considered the standard practice in dentistry,…
In early August, the US Public Health Service (USPHS) released updated guidelines for managing occupational exposures to HIV and recommendations for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The updated guidelines were developed by an interagency USPHS working group consisting of members from the…
OSHA Review, Inc. has been receiving inquiries regarding sharps waste management, specifically what the maximum storage time is for sharps waste. For California dentists, the California Medical Waste Management Act (MWMA) allows small quantity generators to store sharps waste ready for…
OSHA exempts dentistry, as a low-risk industry, from maintaining and posting form 300 log (formerly called the “Log 200”). The form 300 log provides a summary of work-related injuries and illnesses during a calendar year. Businesses with more than 10…
Cal/OSHA is California’s occupational safety and health enforcement agency, covering nearly all employees in the state, except federal employees who fall under the jurisdiction of Federal OSHA. Cal/OSHA conducts workplace inspections to determine whether employers are complying with Cal/OSHA requirements.…
